Once a rival in the 2016 presidential primaries, Marco Rubio has become a loyal supporter of Donald Trump and has been chosen as the Secretary of State in Trump's new administration.

In 2022, after Senator Marco Rubio concluded a debate with his Democratic challenger Val Demings during the midterm elections, former President Donald Trump called him. According to sources, Trump praised Rubio's debate performance, told him he did a great job, and offered to do whatever he could in the final days of the campaign to ensure Rubio retained his Senate seat.

A few weeks later, Trump appeared at a campaign rally in Miami, telling the crowd, "You need Marco Rubio fighting for you in the Senate. He’s been fantastic." That year, Rubio was reelected for a third term in the Senate. Now, the Florida senator is set to become the next U.S. Secretary of State, one of the top positions in President-elect Trump's new administration.

If confirmed by the Senate next year, the Florida-born politician will become the first Latino to serve as the U.S. Secretary of State.

Marco Antonio Rubio was born on May 28, 1971, in Miami, Florida, to Cuban immigrant parents who arrived in the U.S. in 1956. After graduating from high school in 1989, he attended Tarkio College in Missouri for one year on a football scholarship before enrolling at Santa Fe Community College in Florida.

Rubio later earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida in 1993 and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 1996. He once had $100,000 in student debt, which he did not fully pay off until 2012. Rubio returned to politics, citing the June 2016 mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando as a motivating factor, saying he "needed to be where he could make the most impact for the country." Twelve days after the shooting, Rubio announced his reelection bid for the Senate and later won.

Despite Trump's harsh criticism during the primary election, Rubio endorsed the Republican nominee ahead of the November 2016 election. Their relationship improved and continued to grow. When Trump assumed the presidency, he invited Rubio to the White House for dinner.

Rubio supported Trump throughout the four years of his presidency, with Trump often relying on Rubio’s expertise on Latin American issues, including policies toward Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia.

"He has made a 180-degree turn from being a center-right Republican on issues like immigration to becoming a complete Trump supporter. He isn’t the only one who has evolved this way," Cardenas observed.

Analysts believe Rubio’s transformation reflects the political reality that clashing with Trump was not a viable option for those with political aspirations within the Republican Party.

Reuters analyst Gram Slattery described Trump’s decision to nominate Rubio as a strategic move. Trump, who defeated Vice President Kamala Harris with strong support from Latino voters—many of whom had previously supported Democrats—may use Rubio’s appointment to solidify his appeal to this key demographic by placing one of their own in a high-ranking government position as a reward for loyalty. Many Republican members have also expressed their support for Rubio.

"I think he will always give us solid advice," said Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska.

"He’s stable, doesn’t speak unless necessary, and is not one to grandstand. He focuses on what needs to be done," said Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville. Rubio is considered the toughest among Trump’s choices for Secretary of State, consistently advocating for a strong U.S. foreign policy toward rival powers.

The new Trump administration will face a world far more unstable than it was in 2017. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East show no signs of abating, while America’s adversaries—China, Iran, and Russia—are forging closer ties.

In recent interviews, Rubio has suggested that Ukraine should seek a negotiated settlement with Russia rather than focusing solely on regaining territory. He was one of 15 Republican senators who voted against a $95 billion military aid package for Ukraine, which the U.S. ultimately approved in April.

"I’m not siding with Russia, but the reality is that the war in Ukraine needs to end through negotiations," he told NBC in September.

Regarding the Middle East conflict, Rubio fully backs Israel’s campaign in Gaza. Last year, when asked about Palestinian civilian casualties, he stated, "I believe Hamas bears full responsibility."

Rubio has consistently called for a tougher U.S. stance on China. During Trump’s first term, he supported industrial policies to enhance American competitiveness with the Chinese economy. He co-chaired a bipartisan commission on China policy, aimed at formulating a strong stance against Beijing. In 2020, he supported legislation to ban imports of certain Chinese goods amid tensions over the Xinjiang region. President Joe Biden signed this legislation into law in 2021.

This move angered China, which barred Rubio from entering the country and added him to a list of 11 sanctioned U.S. officials.

"Trump’s choice of Rubio as Secretary of State would be a far worse scenario for Beijing than Pompeo," said a former Trump administration official, referring to ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was known for his hardline stance on China.